Palindrome Weather Trends

I know these are definitely ‘end of winter’ thoughts … but first… shouldn’t ‘palindrome’ the word be a palindrome itself? Driving up and down the highway to the city for groceries in our pre-storm prep … this was the kind of conversation we were having. Obviously we were not all that worried that we were going to get blasted.

I was certain it would miss us all together. It almost did. We had a few hours of freezing rain – topped by snow – then sandwiched by more freezing rain. All together though … it didn’t amount to very much. GLAD for the reprieve. 😉

I think it every year – and I likely write it here every year – that the same weather in November IS NOT as well received come March. My internal seasons clock says it is ready for another change. Let this March be green in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day!

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While the donkeys, goats and chickens rode out the weather in their cozy barns we humans retreated to ours. The plants got some added care and attention. See that ‘Christmas Cactus’? It has been blooming in sections since November! November and February are its favourite months of the year. The geranium hanging in the window is also happily flowering away. Each day at lunch we play ‘Speed Scrabble’. Each person uses their tiles to make their own word tree. We’ve been enjoying Simon’s family photo on the table. When we look at that smiling group we see the girls and somehow we both see Simon still in his youth … a ditto reflection of his daughter that stands now in front of him. Funny how your mind can do that.

After two and a half days of blowing wind and snow and rain all of us were happy to see the sun peeking through the clouds. I was cleaning out hay bags and bins this morning. When I looked up I realized the goats were eating where the donkeys usually do …

… and right around the corner … the jennies were in the Goat Cafe. There is a fair bit of wastage of good timothy hay in the Cafe. So I headed up and closed the door to let Rosie and Bella eat away as long as they liked without the goats chasing them out. When MayMay and Dottie realized what had happened they did their very best to raid the party! They were knocking at every possible entrance to try to get back into their own digs.

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Once Rosie and Bella were out – the goats were just fine being ‘out’ too. Ha! It was back to shenanigans in the paddock while I finished the clean up.

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The rain had really done a number on the bedding in the jenny’s sleeping barn. Some had just plain blown in the door and soaked the woodchips there. But a lot likely also came in on their coats as they came in from their hay run in. I love when the new chips are down. Smells soooo good! Rosie and Bella will come right in when they smell them too – to drop and roll them all into their coats.

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When I came in for lunch today Rosie was dragging the ‘toy bin’ around making what she felt was a delightful racket. She had a food dish inside the bin and it would rattle and clang as she rocked it up and down – clamping it tightly in her jaw. It is so great to see her playing without any reservations.

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Here’s another family member coming into his own. Oz! When he was a kitten he used to love to ride on my back. At that point he was little enough to wind himself around my shoulders while I moved from one room to another. He is now the length of my back and a good twenty-five pounds! I have to keep an eye on him… If I am playing with him, grooming his fur or just petting him he will begin to glance at a way to get onto my back. If I’m not in a position to support him I can get a real tattoo from his claws trying to hold on!! He’s also a big fan of magic carpet rides on our bathroom shower mat. I’d say he’s doing a pretty darn good job of training his humans! 😉

The storm seems to have stopped … although the wind is still blowing in gusts and snow funnels across the fields. Dare I say I am looking forward to next week’s above zero temperatures? Even if the sun is planning on staying away?

Happy dreams of spring from the Meadow Mice!